I like both frames. The Orbea frame looks nice with the non-sloping tt. You might look into rotating the bars forwardso the flat part of the drops is almost parallel to the ground.

Enjoy the riding and racing!

Yeah I got to doing more tweaks on it.. the "brifters" are level now, that was my sloppy and excited initial assembly.

But took it out on it's first ride today.. it was so smooth that I don't know if I'll ever ride my old bike unless it's on the trainer!

The SRAM hoods are super comfortable, but one thing I didn't anticipate was being blown around by the wind like I was today. I was out riding in 25 to 45 mph winds with gusts of 60 to 70, my Garmin was blowing up with weather alerts the entire ride.

25c tires are going to be a must, the wheels along with 23c Rubino's are ok for training but I'll have to get proper race day wheels and rubber. The Apex crank was ok, but I think SRAM Force is going to be on the short list as well along with Force brake calipers. Overall the bike is a great value, and very happy with the purchase! Can't wait to put more miles on it than my car!

So I've been on a search for a new bike and all of my findings have led me to a

Cervelo R3 Shimano 105 and a Orbea Orca Bronze Rival

Both bikes seem fairly comparable on paper, the Cervelo was a nice ride and felt great on the climbs during my test ride. The Orbea on the other hand would be a blind buy as I'd order it online. After a long ordeal of test rides the only thing keeping the Orbea in the mix is the price, which is nearly $700 less than the Cervelo would be after taxes and all. I have taken into consideration the LBS support, maintenance, fit and such things, but I'm not one that shy's away from working and fitting myself on my bike.

Of all of those bikes the Cervelo really did fit me best and weighed in at 7.9 kilos? 17 ish lbs. Only thing under that was the Gallium which had a full DuraAce kit and so forth.

So with all that said, I guess I'm going to turn to the experience and knowledge of the forum for some insight.

BTW: I plan on racing 2 sprint triathlons this year, group rides and maybe a few local events and a whole lot of training.

EDIT: corrected my error on the Rival drivetrain.

Not a fan of Cervelo, but if it fit you best and you haven't tested the Orbea, seems the choice is clear.That said, I bought both my BMW(car) and Colnago(auto) without a test ride and it worked out great, but those were two very safe choices as the products were very well understood.

I got one of the first R3s in 2006. The BB shell came unbonded from the frame in 2009. Cervelo warrantied the frame with no question. I took the opportunity to upgrade to an R3SL, paying the difference in price which at the time was not that expensive (especially compared to a new R3SL frame).

Cervelo also had them in stock in my size while I'd have had to wait a month or two for an R3.

I feel like there are more bad Cervelo stories than on some of the other brands. I know there are tons of Cervelo fans, but the perceived reliability factor has always put me off. I understand they improved the warranty, but I don't buy a bike expecting to exercise the warranty..It's more like insurance.

It's always dangerous to draw conclusions about something's reliability based on posts on the internet. You only see the people who have a problem and complain. You don't know what percentage of the user base is affected. There's a lot of Cervelos out there. It would be interesting to see the Cervelo warranty claim rate vs Specialized and Trek.

The Cervelo warranty's always been the same, and the same as pretty much everyone else's.

Their warranty service may not be so hot in europe (based on comments here) but it's pretty typical in the US.

They did have a problem with the R2.5 and they replaced a lot of frames under warranty, even for non original purchasers, which is unusual. When they had a problem with the Wolf fork they replaced those under warranty and in a timely manner.

I got one of the first R3s in 2006. The BB shell came unbonded from the frame in 2009. Cervelo warrantied the frame with no question. I took the opportunity to upgrade to an R3SL, paying the difference in price which at the time was not that expensive (especially compared to a new R3SL frame).

Cervelo also had them in stock in my size while I'd have had to wait a month or two for an R3.

I feel like there are more bad Cervelo stories than on some of the other brands. I know there are tons of Cervelo fans, but the perceived reliability factor has always put me off. I understand they improved the warranty, but I don't buy a bike expecting to exercise the warranty..It's more like insurance.

Cervelo is also one of a few (if any) manufacturers that hosts their own forum.

Maybe I wouldn't get the same "stiffness" of the silver and gold frames, but it seems like I can still get the weight down pretty close to 6.8.. it's been done before. I think the frame and platform are a good starting point.

I'm concerned slightly about that sort of build quality issue with Cervelo but being that the frame has a lifetime warranty on defects and build quality, I think I can rest easily and have a local dealer to help me with the process if anything goes south.

Orbea also have a lifetime warranty, but it isnt worth the paper it is written on.Even the Australian importer said my claim was legit, but Orbea HQ wouldnt come to the party and replace or repair my frame (stripped BB shell threads).The importer paid out of his own pocket in the end as my LBS threatened to stop stocking Orbea if he had to pay for it.

Go with the Cervelo (as it happens I havent had any problem with my Cervelo either )

Edit: See the OP bought the Orbea. Hopefully he will have more luck with his frame than I did with mine

Edit: See the OP bought the Orbea. Hopefully he will have more luck with his frame than I did with mine

I'm having more issues getting the SRAM group shifting properly than anything else.. I find myself having issues shifting into the rear 28 and 32 cog. I'll most likely be swapping out the rear cassette for something like a 12-26 or 12-27.

Congrats on the bike - may I ask what plans you have for it? If any of course. Just bought my self a 2013 Orbea Orca (Gold frame) and testriding it tommorow. Can't wait! A little nervous about the stiffness of the frame.

Congrats on the bike - may I ask what plans you have for it? If any of course. Just bought my self a 2013 Orbea Orca (Gold frame) and testriding it tommorow. Can't wait! A little nervous about the stiffness of the frame.

Before I invest in any weight savings I want to make sure I'm comfortable on the bike, I have to make a stem adjustment, so I'll be making fit adjustments with my LBS and then I'll decide on what to order.

Wheels are the first thing that comes to mind aside from anything else. The stock wheels and tires are heavy, I'll keep them around for training, but Zipp or Reynolds clinchers come to mind right off the bat, Black Chili GP Conti's. Lighter rear cassette, most definitely a crank other than the SRAM Apex that came with it (maybe a Hologram or a Rotor crank). But once I start going down the road of drivetrain components I'll probably do that all at once. I'm not looking to get a 6.8 bike just yet, but I'll settle for a 7.5-7.9 ish bike and be happy.

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